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The Panamanian Eskimo

2008-09-14T12:03:00.000-07:00

Abuelita enjoys her stay in Greenland, and is allways on the go.

I took this nice picture this summer (summers can be cool in Greenland), when she was visiting for Alexanders graduation in High School.

I like the red colour!

Cable landing in Nuuk

2008-09-14T03:53:00.000-07:00

Ille de Seine of France is putting the cable on the seabed

This project is the biggest in the history of Tele Greenland and will serve Greenland for more than 25 years.

A greenlandic Qajaq escorted the cable to the shore!

The installation will be finished by march 2009, which will end the days of slow Internet in Greenland.

A French "diver" is pulling the cable up on the beach (by the help of a tractor)

Internet at the speed of lightening has arrived to Greenland. On Thursday the 11th of September, the landing of the cable were celebrated on a beach in Nuuk, Greenland.

House in Celle finished

2008-08-01T09:55:00.000-07:00

Ruth and I have been on an trip to Italy, to inspect the (almost) finished house.

We have been building (or renovating) the house for about 3 years and it has been a strugle to have it finished so much that we can actuately live in it.

But now we have water, electricity and gas. That gives us a way to make food, bathrooms to have showers in, toilets to do what you have to do... etc.

We spent most of the time, trying to find some furniture, utensiles, brooms and whatever you need for living.

IKEA in Firenze were visited 3 timers (hopeful not anymore for a long time) and John and Ann were so kind to trasnport some furniture all the way from Denmark to Italy in their car and trailer... Thanks.

Buying furniture at IKEA takes a lot of patience and we are thankful, that John and especially Ann made it more easy for us.

So now we have a doublebed and a sofa that can be turned into a doublebed, which means that 4 people easily can stay in the house.

We are looking forward to spending some more time in our new house in the future!

When we bought the house in 2004 it looked like this:

Alexander is a "Student"

2008-06-28T09:57:00.001-07:00

Alexander finished his High School or in danish"Gymnasium" this Thursday - 19th of June. (Also known as Juneteenth, the day the slaves were freed in Texas 1868).

He did very well - his last exam was history and his grade was 10. (Like an A)

Alexander has been working both with his dances and his school this spring, which has taken a toll on him.

In April and May he did a small show about a young american soldier that during the war fell in love with a greenlandic girl.

This summer he will go to Norway to start an education in dance in Oslo!

Visit to Haifa

2008-06-26T14:47:00.000-07:00

In the end of April and the beginning of May I was attending the International Baha'i Convention in Haifa with more than 1000 people from all over the world. More than 150 countries and territories were represented and I was a delegate for Greenland.

We were 7 from Greenland attending (out of 9 possible) and we had a great stay in Haifa.

Going to Haifa (Center of the World Administration of the Baha'i Faith) for the International Convention is a spiritual and emotional trip, as you have a chance to visit the holy places of the Baha'i Faith and to enjoy a truly spiritual atmosphere.

Visiting the holy places at a time where you meet people from all over the world, with the same common faith is likewise remarkable.

I had lunch with the National Assembly of Myanmar (before the flooding occured) one day and they were wearing their national costumes, as a lot of others. It has become a custom that people wear their national costume for the election of the Universal House of Justice. The election is the main event of the convention and it is a very special experience. All delegates are casting their votes, one by one, and it is therefore a voyage around the globe which lasts about 3 hours.

Newborn in the house

2008-06-22T13:49:00.000-07:00

Last month we had a newborn in the house for some days. Rikke & Ken whom we have known for some years, have adopted a child in nuuk. They live in Maniitsoq but the child was due in Nuuk in the beginning of June. Rikke came and stayed with us while Ken was in Denmark, attending his grandmothers funeral, when the baby was born some weeks early!

So within a day we had a newborn living in the house, which was very exciting!

As an enhancement to the story, Rikke is pregnant and is expecteing her baby in September. Then they will have two babies born within 4 months!

Visit to Calais

2008-06-21T06:53:00.000-07:00

TELE is investing a lot of money in a Fiber Optic Submarine Cable from iceland to Greenland and from Greenland to Canada. The Cable is produced in France, and I had the pleasure of visiting the factory on June 11th.

We were a large delegation from Greenland as the minister and some deputy ministers joined the board of Tele Greenland.

We were able to see the whole production process from the uncolored glassfibers to the final cable protected with iron and rubber. We also saw the "repeaters" and "branching Unit" which is going to take the cable in to Qaqortoq. (Se picture)

Snow at Nigerleq 46 in Nuuk

2008-02-17T17:13:00.000-08:00

Our house is situated pretty awkward, when it comes to snow. This morning it was more or less impossible to get out of the door (as you can see). The wind yesterday was very strong from south, which really is a problem for us!

The problem is that the entrance to the house is on the north side of the house, where the snow seek cover from the wind. It didn't really snow that much, but the house attracts snow.

Well, I think alexander and I will have some exercise tonight when the wind has calmed down a little. This winther has been the coldest for a decade, I guess the global warming is taking a break in Nuuk. It has been cold (and that is converted to minus 10 C) more or less continually since november. From living in Sisimit and Ilulissat this has not been a problem for us, only for the car. When it was minus 20 C and below it really needed some first aid!

This picture is taken by Alexander in the morning from our window!

Visit to Texas

2008-02-17T11:50:00.000-08:00

I went to Texas for a couple of days in February in connection with my visit to Knoxville, TN.

It was great to see the family again even though it was a very short visit. I was supposed to go by my self, but Mark suggested I "brought the boys" (ie Alexander and Stephan) for the Superbowl game. Unfortunately Alexander was too busy with his school (last year at the gymnasium - junior college) and as you can see on Ruth's blog the yearly prom!

But Stephan was able to go, as his exams were finished and school almost didn't start until later... We had some wonderful days visiting Abuelita - watching Superbowl and buying my first iPod, not to talk about the nice mexican dinner with Abuelita and Stephan in San Antonio.

Abuelita looked great like allways and Stephan got a "hairtreatment" by Grace. Even though it doesn't look like, he enjoyed it!

It's a kind o absurd to travel between Greenland and US. First you go several thousand miles east to Copenhagen and the next day you go back, only to pass Greenland underneath you halfway between Denmark and the US. Some times you want to buy a parachute and jump off the plane when we pass Nuuk.... Only in the summer it is possible to fly directly from Greenland to the US.

Aluminumsmelter in Greeenland

2008-02-17T11:09:00.000-08:00

I am serving on the board of Greenland Development and this February we visited the american company Alcoa in Knoxville Tennessee. Alcoa is a truly global company with facilities all over the world and they have fallen in love with Greenland because of the hydro potentials we have.

Hydro power stations has been utilising the power of the Tennessee Valley River for almost a century and it was quite interesting to visit the facilities. As long as you hae rainfall, hydropower really is clean and renewable energy.

Tennessee is a beautiful place with kind people. Though they had an accent I was not used to.... (Much harder than Texas).

Alfred Jacobsen from the Home Rule Government is also a part of the board of Greenland Development and checked all the technical equipment and as you can see everything ws OK!

If you want to know more about the project in Greenland look at this page: www.aluminium.gl

The projct is going to be discussed in parliament this spring and the decision will have a great impact on the development of Greenland.

Thank You

2007-08-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

Dearest All,

We thank you all for a great time in Celle sul Rigo this summer.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Here is a picture of our beautiful family in Celle Sul Rigo, the 26th July 2007 at 2000 (8:000p.m.)

Stephan has put some pictures on the web, follow the link in the right hand side, and you will find them!

Love,

Ruth & Steen

Train to Celle from Rome Airport

2007-06-24T08:09:00.000-07:00

For people travelling with train from Rome to Celle sul Rigo.

Upon arrival in Leonardo di Vinci (Fiumicino); and after picking up your baggage, look for the signs that say Train: TRENO or STAZIONE.

Follow these signs until you come down to the station area and go up to the ticket area and ask for the next train to CHIUSI. You might have to go to the center of Rome first. (Roma Termini)

Buy a one way ticket: DI SOLO ANDANTE a CHUISI

Please remember to have EUROs ready or a VISA card. You will be sure to be able to pay if you have EUROs.

Upon arrival to CHIUSI please go directly outside the station and ask for a Taxi to CELLE SUL RIGO.

The taxi will then take you to the city that we live in. Ask to be put off at the café: AL CHIARRO DI LUNA in the middle of the city of Celle sul Rigo.

When you get off at the Chiarro di Luna go inside and ask for Catia or Giorgio. Then ask them for “Signora Ruth di Groenlandia” They will help you to find me or they will call me.

The train trip to Chiusi takes about 2 hours. The taxi from Chiusi is about 20 minutes. The walk from the center to where you will be staying is less than 10 minutes. Please remember that cars and buses and other transport are smaller in Europe and that it is a good idea not to pack too big or too much.

Celle July 2007

2007-05-24T15:31:00.000-07:00

Dear Family and close friends,

As time gets nearer to our birthday celebration, we would like to send you the following information:

The Celebration
The celebration will take place in Celle sul Rigo in Tuscany.
Date: 26th of July 2007
Time: 7:00 p.m
Place: I Celle sul Rigo
Party clothes are required! (Ruth’s motto is: “You never can be under or overdressed”!)

The apartments
We are quite overwhelmed over having so many loved ones participate in our celebration. For those of you living in reserved apartments and B& B in and around Celle, from the 21-28th of July 2007, the travel agency has asked for convey the enclosed information to you about your apartments.

Arrival Information
Please send us the following information at your earliest convenience:
Date of arrival
Airlines and Flight number

We are truly looking forward to seeing you all.

Love,
Steen & Ruth

Equinox - 21 March

2007-03-23T10:31:00.000-07:00

The Bahá'ís have been fasting for 19 days ending March 21, and it has been a good period for loosing weight. Travelling to Denmark for business purposes I didn't fast for a week, but back in Greenland I was able to fast. At the same time I didn't execise as much because of lack of time!

The result has been a loss of a couple of kilo, so that I now am down to 88,4 kilos. Which means I only have 3,4 kilos to go!!!!

In the same period I celebrated my 50th birthday with a dinner for the family and a reception at Charoen Porn (a Thai restaurant in Nuuk) - thanks to my family. It's weird to turn 50, but the timeclock is ticking... (Ruth is next!)

Jørn & John have been travelling and right now they are trailing my loss. John is right behind and Jørn is picking up the pace again.

Week 6 20 to go

2007-02-24T12:43:00.000-08:00

Ruth has left for Texas and New York, and it will be interesting to see if I can keep up the good work. It's always difficult when you don't have your usual whip around.

This week has had extremely nice and mild weather for the season. This is supposed to be the coldest period of the year, and still we have above zero temperatures for the last week or so. To day the weather was fantastic, which you can see on this picture.

We have had some storms a couple of weeks ago, and the result was a lot of ice chunks from the Ice Cap when moved out through the fjord, and some of them ended close to Nuuk. Just look at this picture.

Next week I am hopefully half way through my diet (having lost 5 kilos, maybe), as the Baha'i Fast is starting on March 2. I usually have a hard time loosing weight during fast, because I eat to much in the evenings and because it is hard to be real active during the day.

I will be traveling to Denmark on the same time, which doesn't make it any easier.

I have reserved space at a hotel which has a fitness center........

The day after tomorrow will be the Ayyam-i-ha - and tomorrow the house will be filled with kids, celebrating Ayyam-i-ha. Ayyam-i-ha is a Bahai Feast, which is celebrated the last ofur days before the Fast starts, and is celbrated with small parties and gifts to your family.

So happy Ayyam-i-ha!

Week 4 22 weeks to go

2007-02-11T06:23:00.000-08:00

I guess my brothers thought they should give me a chance to catch up on them. Jørn & I have lost 3 kilos but John is still ahead weighing 3,5 kilos less. All we have left is 6,5 - 7 kilos!

This reminds of a sign in Copenhagen airport - it says: "Left Luggage" I was wondering if it was luggage for left handed people or...

If you know what it is, please leave a comment.

But John has not been so fortunate! He was operated on last Saturday, as he had lost connection with his foot. He cannot bend the foot, because a nerve has been squeezed by a dislocated disc in his back. He is doing ok, but can still not move his foot. There is a chance that the ability to move the foot will return in some months, so we hope for the best. He is up and walking, but has 4-6 weeks before he can go back to work.

Jørn was operated on 18 months ago in his back, - I'll try to outdo that family statistics by not being operated on in my back! My interest in getting back in shape, has tripled this week!

Jørn & Sif has been on a holiday in Norway - eating scrumptious food every day, so Jørn's curve has been flattened out. Thank you Sif - I thought Jørn was going to run away from us.

Week 2 24 to go

2007-01-16T17:58:00.000-08:00

The first two weeks of the race is over, and my dear brothers are running ahead in the competition! Both has lost more weight than I, - what is wrong!

I have started eating more correctly, and have started a series of workouts in the local gym!

Guess I have to stop eating even more......

On the other hand - it is good that we all have lost weight, and it is the long haul that is important.

Let's see whats happening the next week!

Bet for a better life

2007-01-11T17:07:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to see if I can do something about the bet I have with my brothers. We gathered in Denmark for Christmas and New Years and we got the idea, that we should start loosing some extra kilos!!!! This idea was strongly supported by our wives, and includes at goal of loosing 10 kilos before July 1st.

At the link in the right hand side you can follow the development through the first 6 month of 2007.

In the table you will be able to see who is doing good and who is doing not so good, when it comes to loosing weight.

Our wives have promised any of us a surprise (gift) if we loose the 10 Kilos!!!

Happy hunting.